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Nov 19, 2010

Friday GIVEAWAY! (Merrick)

Since I usually associate months with the holiday that falls in that month, my mind has been on Thanksgiving the last few weeks. And because of Thanksgiving, my thoughts have mainly revolved around gratitude. It's a lovely thing to focus on, don't you think?

So in light of Thanksgiving, I thought it would be nice to share what I am grateful for from a financial standpoint (since that is the purpose of this blog).

Nearly a year ago, and four months before I gave birth to my little boy, I was laid off from my job. It was a tough time for all small businesses, so I completely understood that it was a necessary thing, but that didn't make the blow of losing 1/3 of our income any softer. However, little financial boosts began popping up here and there -- I sold some paintings, my neighbor started paying me to watch her baby, my husband was doing really well at work and his paychecks were bigger than ever, and the list could go on. So despite the cut in our income, our savings have continued to grow over this past year, and I am so grateful for that.

Today we're giving away a copy of Dave Ramsey's book, Financial Peace Revisited. It's a perfect book to have as we approach a new year -- what a better time to reevaluate your finances and get everything in order! To enter, tell us what you are grateful for financially, whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not.

The giveaway will close next Wednesday, November 24th at midnight, and the winner will be announced the following Friday. Good luck!

37 comments:

The one thing I am most thankful for financially is agreenment between my husband and I on how to spend/save our money. I know that money can be one of the biggest sources of conflict in marriage, and we are so blessed and privileged to be united on that front. Because of this, we are sticking to our predetermined budget, saving, and paying off our school loans faster than we expected.

I am grateful for the decision we made this week to DOWNsize our vehicle inventory after the winter. No more large gas-guzzling van, one less vehicle to insure and maintain, and more than anything I'm grateful that we are in a position to be able to just pass it along to someone else who needs it.

I am thankful for my aunt and uncle allowing us to rent their basement very cheaply! Dave and I both go to school and work, one of us in Salt Lake and one of us in Provo. Because my aunt lives halfway between SLC and Provo, and right near the train and bus station so we can commute that way, we are able to save a lot of money in rent and gas.

I am most thankfully finacial for so many things- we give 10% of our money to tithes in our church and we have ALWAYS managed to make it through- even when we were both not working the summer I was pregnant- and now I am grateful to be (mostly) debt free! We just have Ryan's car loan which is getting knocked out pretty quickly and at 4% interest I'm ok- no credit card debt! yipee! only one small car payment! wahoo! We're now saving for our next home!We are truly blessed- and are VERY grateful!

I'm grateful & thankful for a husband that is on board with me financially. We've been married almost 3 years & have never fought about money. We're average employees who make average money but we are refusing to live like the average American with debt all of our lives. Thanks to DH's support, we've been paying off debt since 6 months after being married & have acquired no new debt while I've been in college. God is faithful & we give Him all the glory.

The one thing that I am most grateful this year is my resolve to be debt-free in the next 5 years, and continue saving for my future. I have a budget that I stick to, and have found a lot of ways to save money here and there! It's like a weight has begun to lift off of my shoulders!

I am so grateful that my husband is on board to get our student loan debt paid off. He is so on board that he recently took on a 2nd job to help pay it off even faster. I'm thankful we get to make a huge payment today toward one of the loans and it will be paid off in a matter of months.

I am thankful for how managing our family finances have actually brought my husband and I together. I often read that financial trouble is a major cause of fights, and later divorce. But for us, managing our finances as a team, setting goals and working toward them together, and feeling secure in our financial health has brought us even closer together. megantfraser(at)gmail(dot)com

I know it's already been said, but I'm super thankful for hand-me-downs. With five kids I could easily have spent a fortune on clothing, but between hand-me-downs, gifts, and my grandmother's garage-saleing prowess, I've only had to buy bare essentials (like socks and underwear).

I'm grateful that for 36 years I've been able to be a stay-at-home mom, even though my income has been necessary for us to run our household. I have taught piano lessons ever since we were married in 1974 because my husband is a policeman and never got a college degree; hence, a second income was necessary to raise our family and pay off our home. Whenever I feel "sorry" for myself that I still have to work every afternoon while my friends have the blessing of being with their families, going to grandkid's soccer games, developing their talents, making lovely meals, traveling, etc., I remind myself how grateful I am that I still have good health (which is so necessary to work), the talent and ability to do something at home, AND a studio full of young people that bring joy into my life because of their accomplishments and friendships! It really does help to not focus on what I WISH I could do instead of working, but how GRATEFUL I am for the circumstances that allow me to work. A friend of mine once said, "What is, is. What isn't, isn't." Simple, true and helps me move forward instead of getting in the rut of saying, "Oh, how I wish...."

I am grateful that the hospital where our son was born offers a payment plan, 2 years and no interest! This is especially helpful when insurance doesn't cover maternity, and although we've been saving, we don't have to deplete our savings or put it on a credit card.

I'm grateful that while I study I am managing to live within my means and will finish up with only a very minor student loan - this is my only debt in life. I own my car freehold and have paid of any other debts I had.

I am grateful for the cold weather. Indirectly, it has saved me money. You see, now that we aren't turning on the A/C,our gas and electric bill came to only 60% of our budgeted amount this month. That is so nice to have saved so much. With holidays just around the corner, we can use every bit of saving we can get!

I'm grateful for savings. Car repairs cost us an unexpected $1000+ this month and it sucked but at the same time it was also kind of like, "Eh. We're fine." And that was so nice to shrug it off and move on.

I am grateful, that my husband (who is a freelance photographer, due to the downturn in the newspaper industry) received an assignment tonight after not having work for about two months. In addition, I'm so thankful we've been able to pinch pennies enough to make the student loan payments when they go up despite living off just my income (since it's steady and his is hit or miss.)

I'm grateful that we saved a lot BEFORE grad school so that we haven't had to take out any student loans. I'm also grateful that we live in Ohio where we could buy a house for pennies on the dollar (compared to Utah, anyway...)

I'm grateful that we are slowly working to pay off all our debts so we can be free from this bondage. I'm grateful that I learned the value of a dollar long ago, how to budget, plan and live frugally. I'm grateful for parents who taught me how to live within my means. My next goal is financial freedom.

I'm grateful for the new law that allows me to stay on my Dad's insurance even though I'm married. Since it's a family plan and doesn't cost my Dad any extra money to have me on the plan, I essentially get free health insurance. This has been such a huge blessing in our lives.

I'm thankful for my husband's job- for the paycheck and the insurance benefits. We are able to enjoy our life with just one income. And while I look forward to working one day, it is such a blessing to not have the added stress of juggling work with managing the house and kids, while he travels.

I'm grateful that I have the motivation and desire to keep my finances in check. Sometimes it's hard when I know we earn a lot more than we spend. Especially come Christmas-time when I'm actively thinking of the things I want and the things I would love to get my husband and daughter. It's really tempting to just say, "To heck with it! I'm keeping my (husband's) paycheck! I want to buy things!" But then I remember how we want to pay off our house in 7 years but can only do that if we stay frugal. And that desire is much stronger than my desire to by little things.

I'm grateful for tithing...the lessons we learn from it and the blessings that it brings into our lives. I'm also grateful for a hard working husband, who supports our family and for his new job. And for my parents in teaching me the importance of working hard and saving for the future.